Soho pubs urged to host ‘quiet nights' to help local residents sleep

Telegraph

13-03-2025

Pubs and clubs in Soho are being urged to host 'quiet nights' and offer alcohol-free activities after 6pm in an attempt by Westminster City Council to make the capital less busy.
The Labour-led council is seeking to make central London more peaceful during the evening and early hours of the morning to avoid disturbing residents.
The proposals, part of an initiative called 'Westminster After Dark', risk fuelling fears that London's nightlife is being crushed by bureaucracy.
They follow criticism of Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, for failing to support the hospitality industry despite employing radio presenter Amy Lamé as a highly paid 'night czar' for several years.
Gareth Bacon, the shadow minister for London, said: 'This just goes to show how out of touch Labour is.
'After Sadiq Khan, and his overpaid, underqualified night czar Amy Lamé managed to run London's nightlife into the ground, this supposed 'plan' from a Labour council will just be another slap in the face.
'Clearly only the Conservatives understand what businesses need, and will deliver for them.'
The council is also looking to hit businesses with a so-called late-night levy, a tax on businesses which supply alcohol late into the evening, such as nightclubs and pubs. The tax would be used to fund initiatives to reduce 'crime and disorder' in the surrounding areas, the consultation said.
Such a levy has previously proved unsuccessful in areas such as Nottingham and Cheltenham, which have each removed theirs in recent years. A House of Lords committee also concluded in 2023 that the tax had not been successful.
Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of industry group UKHospitality, criticised the proposed measure. She said: 'Part of this work should also be about deregulation and reducing cost, and it's disappointing that part of the strategy is consulting on implementing an unfair and costly late night levy, which has proven to be ineffective.'
The council's plans include closing central venues from midnight while 'essential services like cleaning and transport take precedence'.
Entertainment venues will also be encouraged to host 'sensory-friendly' and 'quiet nights' with reduced noise levels, dimmed lighting and designated calm zones. Museums and galleries will also be urged to offer 'quiet hours' on certain evenings during the week.
Events less focused around drinking also feature among key recommendations, as well as extended retail hours and later museum openings, to diversify London's offer 'away from traditional nightlife options that rely on the sale of alcohol'.
The borough of Westminster is home to the West End, which is renowned for its nightlife.
Westminster said its draft proposals, which are open for public consultation, contain a 'series of interventions and policies to help businesses to thrive, visitors to enjoy the city's attractions, and residents to get a decent night's sleep'.
The council added: 'We will expand accessible, family-friendly, and non-alcoholic evening activities to foster a vibrant, inclusive evening and night-time environment in Westminster.'
None the less, the impact will likely be felt among the numerous bars and pubs in the borough, which includes Soho, Shaftesbury Avenue and Leicester Square.
The council is also proposing to create so-called 'late-night entertainment zones' in Oxford Street, The Strand and Victoria Street for new live music, theatre and hospitality venues, operating away from areas with more residents.
Geoff Barraclough, councillor and cabinet member for planning and economic development, said: 'Westminster After Dark aims to balance the needs of a thriving evening and nighttime offer with the wellbeing of the residents who call Westminster their home.
'This new strategy is our response to the obvious challenges of managing these competing demands. Following extensive engagement, 'Westminster After Dark' explores how we will remain a welcoming, innovative, inclusive, and liveable city with something on offer for everyone.'
The measures also include installing 100 extra CCTV cameras to improve public safety, as well as an expanded joint council and police unit to patrol hotspots for crime and anti-social behaviour. Newly licensed venues will be required to assess risks to women's safety. The council additionally said it will lobby Transport for London to reinstate night bus services.